PERSPECTIVES

Architecture internships are unique to any other. More than just a day filled with filing and monotonous jobs, Architecture internships allow students to get familiar with a firm and their specialization. Here at RODE, interns are truly members of the team and we partake in all aspects of the business, from design insight on projects, to celebrating its 10 Year Anniversary at the Dorchester Brewing Company.

A day at RODE is never dull, we’re an enthusiastic group of 18 employees working in a small, tight-knit setting in an open studio atmosphere with clients coming in and out all day. It’s great to be able to translate the open studio language that we are so familiar with, into the office setting. Working as an intern is a distinct experience aimed at broadening a particular skill set. There are specific goals set at the beginning of the internship and we are encouraged to work on specific elements of projects that peak our interests. Interns work on numerous types of projects in one single day – from residential unit layouts in the morning – to presentation renderings by night. Other specific jobs include feasibility studies, model building, hand drawing, massing building options, and more. It takes more than an average college student to be a part of RODE’s team, you have to have a positive attitude and step outside of your comfort zone, being ready and willing to work on anything asked, and eager to learn new skills to develop the knowledge required by the field.

Aside from growing your knowledge on a daily basis, being a member of RODE’s team comes with other perks. While working at RODE, interns partake in the social side of the firm, including Friday afternoon snack/drink hour to design charrettes in order to familiarize the team with new projects. The design charrettes show the collaborative nature of RODE’s work environment, and seeing a project grow from a simple massing study to a highly developed piece of architecture through ideas and concepts is directly relevant to us as students.  The iterative process is a very real part of design, and to see it implemented in real world projects makes the job very rewarding. Other fun activities include t-shirt competitions, lunch outings, weekly “lunch and learn” presentations, and bagel Wednesdays. Joining the team also means social gatherings outside the normal 9-5. Interns at RODE are proud to be a part of this collaborative group of individuals who love where they work and what they do.

Personal Statement from Current Interns:

Paul Arduini - Wentworth Institute of Technology - Class of 2017

“Personally, one of my favorite exercises that I’ve been able to do on a daily basis at RODE is to visualize a project through digital ‘art.’ I enjoy bringing a project to life. In most cases, the public reacts best to conceptual renderings. I believe a story should be told through these images while creating an atmosphere that one would not take away from a line drawing.”

Danielle Roberts - Northeastern University - Class of 2017

“RODE has truly made me feel like part of the team. I have gotten to work on so many different projects, and seen them through almost every phase. It’s especially interesting to learn about the design process and how community reception and neighborhood characteristics influence design. It’s great to be able to work for a firm that cares about where they’re building, not just what they’re building.”

Amanda Dexter - Wentworth Institute of Technology - Class of 2017

“Intern life at RODE is an experience to remember. I thank RODE for teaching me the valuable skills necessary in order to be successful in the field of architecture. I wouldn’t have received this kind of knowledge and experience anywhere else.”

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In a recent twitter chat with Boston’s Mayor Martin J Walsh, a citizen brought up the idea of closing popular retail streets to vehicular traffic in the summer, allowing multiple areas of the city to function like Downtown Crossing, even if just for an afternoon. According to the City of Boston’s twitter account, they were actively looking into several locations to use for a test run, and will do so on Newbury Street this Sunday, August 7 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., allowing pedestrians to move freely through the street.    

According to WalkScore.com, Boston ranks as the 3rd most walkable city with 81 points, just behind New York (89 points) and San Francisco (86 points). The “walkability” points were awarded to each city based on the number of walking routes, distance between amenities, Intersection density, and block length.

While those are good starting points, what truly makes walking enjoyable, other than a short walk to a lot of shops?

These scores haven’t considered the multiple ways streets can be engaging. Convenience is important, of course, but so is what’s outside. Some of my favorite streets aren’t my favorite because of the stores, but because they have unique characteristics that set them apart from each other. Commonwealth Ave, for instance, has its green space and statues, while any number of South End streets are lined with impressive row houses, gardens, and canopy-like trees. That isn’t to say there shouldn’t be streets with a high density of retail spaces, but the key is to find a balance between no-car zones and streets that are functional for vehicular traffic while remaining engaging to those who choose to walk.

RODE is currently designing scenic areas like these with the recently-approved DOT Block mixed-use development, which will balance 350 housing units with 40,000 square feet of retail, the latter of which will be engaged with pedestrian-oriented public spaces. These public spaces won't just be shop fronts, but a space for the community to engage with each other and their surroundings in an environment that is designed to foster activity and interaction, applying what it truly means to be “walkable” to the new neighborhood.

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As you approach RODE’s office, you might notice a couple of bikes out in the hall or adjacent to the model table. This is very much indicative of RODE’s growing cycling culture in the office. At the moment, almost half (44%) bike to work - some year-round cyclists, while others are seasonal. Along with its health benefits and a lower carbon emissions count, it’s also a medium for community engagement. This past spring, RODE recently participated in MassCommute Bicycle Challenge and finished 7th place under the small business category! Not too bad for a first time participant. If you’ve ever attended a Boston Bike Party event, you might’ve seen a couple of us there as well.

The following infographic not only shows the route taken by RODE cyclists, but also shows that we live in neighborhoods impacted by the work we do. In addition, the chart measures the influence of cycling to our environment. I hope this post encourages others to choose cycling as their primary mode of transport!

Sketching requires engagement between your subject and your mind, and again between your mind and your hand. Sketching requires time, and it requires effort. It forces decisions: what is important to capture in your sketch? What fades to obscurity, and what is completely omitted? As a transplant to Boston, I have used sketching as a tool to familiarize myself with the city and improve my understanding of its mood and energy.

Three years ago, I began participating in Boston’s fledgling Urban Sketchers group. The purpose of this group is simple: draw on location from direct observation and show the world one drawing at a time. The group has sketched all around Boston: centrally at Beacon Hill, the North End, and the Seaport district, as well as farther afield in Somerville, Revere, and Salem, to name a few. The group has grown from a few passionate sketchers to planning regular weekend events with an active core membership.

Sketching Boston with this group engages in surprising ways. What vibrancy and livelihood can we find in the dead of winter? The cafés and libraries of Cambridge supply good subject matter. In spring and summer, a dense schedule of festivals and events inspire sideline sketching from dragon boat races to farmer’s markets. The passage of time is recorded as sketchbooks from three years ago compared to last month attest to Seaport’s frenzied growth. Some structures keep bringing us back, such as Saarinen’s MIT Chapel, or Corbusier’s Carpenter Center. Other buildings are captured as abstract background to the activity of the Esplanade or on the Commons.

My familiarity with the city is actively growing through sketching. From Post Office Square, I am more aware of the textures and scale of buildings and public space in the Financial District – and how quiet it is on the weekends! From sketching in Somerville, I have become familiar with the triple-decker grain that characterizes much of the region. From sketching in the North End, I’ve encountered the prominence of patina and brick, a tradition Boston is in no hurry to forget.

This sketching and engagement is an important building block to designing relevantly. It is an extended site visit that helps me to understand where we are coming from when we propose a new building in the city. Designing requires time, and it requires effort. It forces decisions: what is important to capture in your building? The simple answer is often space, units, square footage. By understanding the existing fabric, I hope we can move beyond the quantitative, and capture a sense of this place.

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RODE attended the ribbon cutting for JM Lofts last Tuesday. It was really exciting to work alongside

Traggorth Companies in a gateway city and be part of the revitalization of downtown Haverhill.

MayorFiorentini and Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegy spoke at the event and reminded us that this project is a

catalyst for the revitalization of Haverhill’s historic downtown. The building was originally built in 1882

and had been underutilized for over 50 years. JM Lofts is a 20,000+ sf adaptive reuse into 18 apartments

and 3 ground floor retail spaces, one of which will be Battle Grounds Coffee Co.

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